• by Tanya Gazdik , Staff Writer, Yesterday

The 2025 Ford Expedition might have three rows and room for kids and all their gear, but don’t count it out as a worthy off-roading vehicle. 

I recently had the chance to put the vehicle through some rigorous and muddy trails and was pleasantly surprised to see how capable it is. It crawled through some deep ruts and never once felt like it was out of its capability level.

The version I drove carries the Tremor badging and Ford Motor Co. says it is the most off-road capable Expedition ever with four-wheel drive, underbody shielding, 33-inch all-terrain tires, best-in-class ground clearance, electronic locking rear-differential and advanced off-road technology. 

It features a drive mode system that includes Rock Crawl Mode, and trail control system that includes Trail Turn Assist and Trail 1-Pedal.

It would also also be perfect for tailgating. The new Ford split gate creates a hang out space with reconfigurable cargo management that transforms the rear area into a table or stadium seating. A sliding front center console adds easy storage access for front and second rows. 

“It was designed to not only get customers to where they need to go, but to be the center of the experience once they arrive,” said Jill Dougherty, Ford Expedition exterior designer. “Our goal was to enable customers to linger longer whether they’re at the stadium or the campsite.”

This is the fifth generation of the large SUV, which was first introduced in 1996.  Ford is serious about evolving vehicles to meet the needs of customers. 

“We spent more than 1,100 hours talking with customers about their everyday lives,” says Trevor Scott, general manager of Ford Utilities. “And with those insights we’ve rethought and redesigned Expedition to help customers make the most of their precious time with family and to make life easier – before, during and after every trip they make.” 

One of the coolest features of the vehicle is exterior zone lighting. Four lighting zones surround the exterior of the vehicle to provide lighting for the tailgate or campsite. Control of the zone lighting system,  including the ability to select specific zones around the vehicle, can be accessed in the vehicle’s redesigned infotainment system.

Another new feature is the available digital device holder mounted to the back of the first-row headrests. This way passengers can bring their own device and quickly mount it, from standard smartphone to over-sized tablet.  Since kids often carry their own devices, this makes so much more sense from a money standpoint than the vehicles that come with screens already installed in the second row. 

Speaking of money, the Expedition starts at $61,700 for the base trim level. The off-road ready Tremor starts at $81,030.